New Interest
by LoryLynn1186
Summary: OZ returns to Sunnydale for Dawn’s birthday and brings along a friend. Can Willow and Oz work through their past and bring a new friendship to light?
1. Chapter 1

Summary: OZ returns to Sunnydale for Dawn's birthday and brings along a friend. Can Willow and Oz work through their past and bring a new friendship to light?  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Pairing: none really, this is just a short ficlet for a friend.  
  
**Author's Notes: Okay, before anyone starts freaking out let me just say, I loved Willow and Oz, and I love Willow and Tara. I cried when she died in season six. But I told a friend I'd write her into a story, and since she's completely in love with Seth Green-well you do he math! **  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Oz is coming back." Willow explained calmly, but beneath the surface, she was dangerously close to panicking. Her relationship with Oz wasn't exactly easy. They'd been madly in love throughout high school-and aside from the fact that Oz himself was part werewolf-they were a normal couple. Even into college everything had been fine. But that was before Veruca, before the werewolf had become too strong, and before Oz left. He had decided that, for everyone's safety, it was better that he not be around them.  
  
"Why is he coming back?" Buffy asked. She was seated on her bed; just opposite Willow's own in the dorm room they shared. Her legs were curled under her body Indian-style, and she absently stroked her stuff pig, Mr. Gordo.  
  
"He-umm-wanted to come back for Dawn's birthday. You know he hasn't seen her in over a year." The witch explained while idly cleaning the room. Actually she was just moving random pieces of clothing from the floor to her bed, and back to the floor again.  
  
"Oh," Buffy responded. She'd completely forgotten about her younger sister's surprise party. The gang had helped plan it; they'd even rented out the Bronze for all of Dawn's friends for the night. It was going to be a blast. "What about you?"  
  
"I'm actually pretty excited," Willow admitted finally taking a seat on her own bed, "in a 'scared-to-death, oh-my-God-this-is-going-to-be-horrible' kinda way."  
  
"It won't be that bad I promise." Buffy stared at her best friend. She could tell she was definitely torn over this, and the Slayer was determined to help in any possible way. Glancing over at her alarm clock, Buffy grimaced as she realized they only had fifteen minutes before their next class started. "We better get going." She implied, pointing to the clock.  
  
Without a word, Willow climbed off her bed, grabbed her bag near the door and left the room.  
  
"Oh yeah," Buffy grumbled to herself, "this is going to be fun."  
  
"Is everything ready?" Buffy asked, wringing her hands.  
  
"Everything is perfect." Tara answered.  
  
"When is everyone coming?" Willow asked sipping noisily on a strawberry daiquiri she got from the bar.  
  
"Well I told everyone 7." Buffy explained smoothing out the wrinkles in her silk skirt. "Spike's going to swing around and pick Dawn up around 7:30. Leaving time for her to get ready, they should be here by---8:00 next Tuesday."  
  
Everyone gathered in the room shared a common laugh. So far, only Giles, Anya, Xander, Tara, Willow, and Buffy had arrived. Though it was still a quarter till 7, plenty of time for all of Dawn's friends to get here.  
  
"Bit!" Spike screamed as he entered the Summers' house. "Little bit!"  
  
"What!?" Dawn yelled from upstairs.  
  
Spike took off up the stairs two at a time, eager to get to the top. His mission had been clear: get the Niblet to the Bronze without saying anything about a party. He could do that; they didn't call him The Big Bad for nothing.  
  
With a soft knock, Spike pushed Dawn's bedroom door open. She was sitting on her bed, schoolbooks spread around her, a perplexed look on her face. "Hi Spike." She said without looking up from the notebook on her lap.  
  
"Evenin' Bit," Spike greeted her, leaning against the doorframe. "Where's Joyce?" he asked, but he already knew the answer.  
  
"She's working late." Dawn answered finally looking at the vampire.  
  
And as far as Dawn knew, Joyce was working late at the gallery. In reality, she was on her way to the Bronze as they spoke; joining up with the rest of the gang for the big birthday bash.  
  
"Why are you here?" she asked.  
  
"Oh, well Big Sis called me, told me to bring you down to the Bronze. Guess the Scoobies are all getting together for a little bonding session and they want you there." Spike hated to lie to the girl, but it was really for her own good.  
  
"Really?!" Dawn exclaimed jumping off the bed. She ran over to her closet and began shifting through clothes. "Gotta find something to wear."  
  
"Well I'll be downstairs waiting," he turned to leave, but quickly spun back around and added, "oh and Bit if you aren't ready by 8:00, I'm leaving you here."  
  
'Is there ever anything good on TV?' Spike wondered as he flipped through numerous channels. 'I mean who wants to watch people eat bugs?! That's just nasty!' Groaning for a final time, Spike switched the television off and tossed the remote onto the couch next to him. He climbed to his feet, and walked towards the steps yelling, "Niblet if you're not down here in two sec-"  
  
"I'm coming." Dawn called from the top floor. "Gimme a sec."  
  
Anxiously, Spike leaned against the front door and stared at the top of the stairs. Just as he was about to stomp up the steps and drag her down-ready or not-Dawn appeared at the top.  
  
She looked more and more like her sis everyday, wearing a knee-length dress that tied at her neck and a pair of black boots that almost reached her knees. Her long brown hair was curled into tight spirals with a few pieces pinned back away from her face.  
  
"Spike?" Dawn asked, noticing that he hadn't talked in a while.  
  
"S-sorry." Spike stumbled. "It's just that-you look so grown up. You're not my Little Bit anymore." His voice oozed with fake sadness.  
  
"Give it a rest Spike." Dawn sighed slipping her arms into her coat. "Let's go." 


	2. Chapter 2

Summary: OZ returns to Sunnydale for Dawn's birthday and brings along a friend. Can Willow and Oz work through their past and bring a new friendship to light?  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Pairing: none really, this is just a short ficlet for a friend.  
  
**Author's Notes: Okay, before anyone starts freaking out let me just say, I loved Willow and Oz, and I loved Willow and Tara. I cried when she died in season six. But I told a friend I'd write her into a story, and since she's completely in love with Seth Green-well you do he math! **  
  
The dark roads of Sunnydale were a welcomed relief to the hectic ways of everyday like in the big city. Oz stared out at the road ahead of him; shadows cast by his headlights. They hadn't passed another car for what seemed like hours. Beside him, a young girl lay sleeping, her head resting against his shoulder. Wrapping his arm tightly around her shoulders, Oz tucked a strand of auburn hair behind her ear.  
  
"Lea wake up." He whispered, earning a stir from the girl. He patted her lightly on her opposite shoulder and whispered again, "Time to wake up baby."  
  
Finally, with a tired sigh and much rubbing of the eyes, she woke up. "W- where are we?" she yawned.  
  
"Coming up to Sunny-D." Oz announced. The 'Welcome to Sunnydale' sign loomed ahead and for some weird reason, Oz had the sudden urge to run over it.  
  
"I'm not so sure that this was the best idea." Lea was suddenly overcome by a feeling of anxiety. "You have a history with these people. I'm just some girl you pick up."  
  
"You're not just some girl," Oz said, turning down a side street as they finally entered the actual town, "you're my girl."  
  
Lea looked up at him and smiled. Truth be told, she was actually looking forward to this party. All these people, they were connections to Oz's past, and she desperately wanted them to like her. 'God that sounds so cliché.' She thought glumly, staring out the window.  
  
Sunnydale was a small town, much like the one she had grown up in. As Lea sat in Oz's van and watched the small shops and homes past, a feeling of homesickness visited her consciousness. It'd been a while since she'd last returned home, but she had spent that time with Oz, and therefore it was time well spent.  
  
The van took a sharp turn to the left and slowed to a stop.  
  
"We're here." Oz announced, opening the driver's door and climbing out. He trotted around to the passenger side and opened the door, helping Lea out of the van. "Welcome to Sunnydale."  
  
Finding her footing and wobbly legs, Lea stared at the building. A huge warehouse that may have been used for storage at one time towered over her, a bright, neon sign reading: The Bronze, hung over the doorway.  
  
"Wow." Was all she could muster.  
  
"Yeah it doesn't look like much on the outside, but wait until you see the inside." Oz assured her. He reached over her shoulders and shut the van door, then taking her hand, led her to the door. He stopped feet before entering. "Ready?"  
  
Lea took a deep breath and nodded.  
  
Buffy was in Hell, or so she thought. Trapped for the next four hours with hormone-driven, super hyper, caffeinated teenagers. Add on top of that she'd have to spend the entire night making sure none of these so called "children" were causing trouble or making out in the corners.  
  
"Oh yeah," Buffy muttered to herself as she downed the last of her Coke, "this is going to be so much fun."  
  
Already, a number of Dawn's friends had arrived, including Janice, Molly, and Kennedy. All the girls were dressed up, highly caffeinated and ready to party.  
  
Buffy turned to head back to the bar to get another soda when she noticed a familiar face among the plague of teens. "Oz!" she shouted happily over the music. She ran to the boy, throwing her arms around him tightly. "I'm so glad you're here."  
  
Oz hugged her back gently, "Me too, Buff."  
  
Separating, Buffy noticed the girl standing beside Oz. She looked younger than him with long brown hair, wearing a knee length sundress. "Oh you must be one of Dawn's friends." Buffy guessed.  
  
Lea stared at the girl. "Um, actually." she began, but was cut off by Oz.  
  
"Buffy," he began slipping an arm around Lea's waist, "This is Lea. My girlfriend."  
  
Buffy's eyes grew to the size of golf balls. 'Did he just say-say' "Excuse me?" she tried not to sound as surprised as she was. It'd been over a year since Willow and Oz split, and her best friend was with Tara, so why was it so hard to imagine Oz with a girlfriend? He deserved happiness just like everyone else in this world.  
  
"My girlfriend." Oz repeated a little slower.  
  
"Hi I'm Lea." The girl said, thrusting her hand out to Buffy. "So you're the Slayer?"  
  
Buffy was lost for an answer, but nevertheless, her hand moved of it's own accord and shook Lea's. 'Oz told her about me? About-everything?' she wondered.  
  
"I kinda had to." He responded almost as if he was reading her mind. "What with the werewolf thing and all."  
  
"But I'm completely cool with it." Lea assured the blonde in front of her. "It's so cool to be shaking hands with the Slayer."  
  
Buffy merely nodded in agreement. She was still digesting this all.  
  
"So is, uh, Willow around?" Oz ventured. Though he would never admit it he was scared to see Will after so long. Both of their lives had changed- drastically.  
  
"She's around here somewhere." Buffy turned and scanned the crowd for the red headed witch. "If you can find her in the herd."  
  
All three shared a nervous laugh before Oz took Lea's hand and tugged her towards the staircase leading to the loft.  
  
"We'll be able to see from up here." He explained. "Thanks Buffy." He called back over his shoulder before ascending the steps.  
  
"No problem," Buffy sighed, "Yep, this is gonna be fun!" 


End file.
